Manual switch for automobile dome light circuits



Jan. 24, 1956 C. C. KING FilOd Nov. 6, 1953 A} M 4 1'65 Q 1 9 /66 /3 /49 24 /6 o /5 o 17 m /8 I9 Z5 Z2 O C 63 All In} 69 268 7;

Char/e6 C. K/ng IN V EN TOR.

7729772mflmm v 0mm United States PatentO MANUAL SWITCH FOR AUTOMQBILEDGME LIGHT CIRCUITS Charles C. King, (Jrockett, Va.

Application November 6, 1953, Serial No. 398,533

4 Claims. (Cl. 200-16) This invention relates to electrical switches,and more particularly, to an improved slide button manual switch for usein controlling a plurality of electrical circuits.

An important object of this invention is to provide a practical manualswitch to be used for dome lights and the like, on automobiles equippedwith automatic door switches, whereby the door can be opened without thedome light coming on, at the option of the operator.

The value of this invention is readily recognized in that in addition toperforming the functions of a conven tional switch, it permits a personto turn the dome light off when lounging in an automobile during thedaytime with doors open. Also, at night it would allow the door to beopened without spot-lighting the passengers when such a function isdesirable.

Switches controlling a plurality of circuits are well known, but are notdesigned for this particular purpose and are complex in design, numerousin parts, many of which are unnecessary for performing the specificfunctions of my switch, and in some of them their shape would make themcumbersome and inconvenient to use as a dome light switch.

Another object of the invention is to provide a simple and cheapindexing means for determining the off position of the switch by the useof holes opening through the base member.

A further object of my invention is to provide an improved switch whichpermits present manufacturers to construct it with a minimum ofchangeover in their tools methods of manufacturing.

A further object of my invention is to provide an improved switch whichis both economical and practical by being composed of a minimum of partsand by being simple in design.

Other important objects and advantageous features of the invention willbe apparent from the following description and the accompanyingdrawings, wherein, for purposes of illustration rather than limitation,a specific embodiment of the invention is set forth in detail.

Figure 1 is a plan View;

Figure 2 is a longitudinal section taken on the line 2-2 of Figure l andshowing the switch in door operated switch dome light circuit;

Figure 3 is a side elevation;

Figure 4 is a transverse section taken on the line 44 of Figure 3; and

Figure 5 is a horizontal section taken on the line 55 of Figure 3.

Referring in detail to the drawings, wherein like numerais designatelike parts throughout the several views, the illustrated switch,generally designated 7, comprises a base 8, preferably in the form of aflat elongated dielectric block, having a top surface 9, a bottomsurface 10, opposite side edges 11 and 12, and opposite ends 13 and 14.

The base 8 is traversed along a longitudinal center line by a middlecontact rivet 15 and by outer contact rivets 16 and 17 which aresimilarly spaced from the middle contact rivet 15. The left-hand rivet16 and the middle contact rivet 15 have heads 13 and 19, respectively,which secure L-shaped connector ears 20 and 21, respectively, againstthe bottom surface 19 of the base 8. The righthand contact rivet 17 hasa head 22 which secures to the bottom surface it of the base 8 agrounding plate or strip 23.

Countersunk in the top surface 9 of the base 8 are concave contacts 24,25 and 26 which are formed on the upper ends of the contact rivets 16,15 and 17, respectively. Equidistantly spaced from and located betweenthe contacts 24 and 2S and 25 and 26, are indexing or positioning holes27 and 28, respectively.

Fixediy mounted on the base 3 is the channel-shaped l ousing preferablyof metal, and which comprises a top plate or web 31, preferably of thepolygonal shape shown in Figure 1, having oppositely angulated ends 32and 33, and longitudinal sidewalls 34 and 35. The housing 3-9 is shorterthan the base 8 and its ends 32 and 33 are preferably equally spacedfrom the ends 13 and 14, r sp ctively, of the base 8.

inc housing side wall 34 has a free edge 36 from which two aperturedswitch mounting cars 37 and 38 extend at the opposite ends of thehousing. At a point equidistantly spaced from the mounting ears w and38, a finger o! 59 extends from the free edge 36 and is bent laterallyinwardly and against the bottom surface It) of the base 8 and engages ina notch as provided in the side edge 1?, of the base 8.

The remaining housing side wall has a free edge 41 from which extend twolongitudinally spaced fingers 42 and 43 which are located at theopposite ends of the side wall 35 and are bent laterally inwardlyagainst the bottom surface it of the block 3 and engaged in notches andprovided in the base edge 11.

The top plate or web 31 of the housing 30 is spaced parallel from thetop surface 9 of the base 8 and slidably positioned between the base topsurface 9 and the housing web 31 is a dielectric material slide 46, inthe form of a flat rectangular block.

The slide 46 is preferably of the same length as the housint 39 and isfreely and slidably engaged with the hot he walls 4 and 35, and has acentral rectangupiece 4 7 which rises through a longitudinally tedpening which is provided in the housing web The finger piece 47 has aknurled upper end 4?, and a vertical bore 50 which opens through itslower end.

The slide 46 has a centralized longitudinally elongated recess 51 in itsunderside 52 into which the finger piece bore Sil opens. A rectangularmetal bridging member 53 having upturned ends 54 and 55, is conformaolyand loosely seated in the recess 51, and a helical spring 56, located inthe finger piece bore 5%, is compressed between the upper end of thefinger piece 47 and the bridging member 53 so that the bridging member53 is maintained in sliding engagement with the top surface 9 of thebase 8.

The bridging member 53 is provided on its underside with three convexcontactors 58, 59 and 68 which are longitudinally spaced from each otherwith the contactor 59 being the middle one and the contactors 58 andbeing the outer contactors.

In the intermediate or off position of the slide 46, shown in Figure 2of the drawings, the outer contactors and engage in the indexing holes27 and 28, and the middle contactor 59 engages in the middle contact 25.

In an automobile dome light door-operated switch circuit, such as shownin Figure 2 of the drawings, the switch 7 is adapted to have itsgrounding strip or plate 23 engaged with a grounded part (not shown) ofthe automobile, the connecting eat 20 connected by a Wire 61 to one sideof a door-operated switch 62 whose other side is grounded as indicatedat 63. The connecting ear 21 is adapted to be connected by a wire 64toone side of a dome light bulb 65. The other side of the bulb 65 isadapted to be connected by a wire 66, through the connector 67, to thebattery 68 whose other side is grounded, as indicated at 69.

With the switch slide 46 in the intermediate or middle position shownin'full lines in Figure 2 of the drawings, the dome light bulb 65 isde-energized even though the door-operated switch 62 is closed by reasonof the associated door being open.

In the left-hand position of the switch slide 46, shown in'dotted linesin Figure 2, the slide contactors 58 and 60 will be engaged with thecontacts 2 and 25, with the contactor 59 in the left-hand indexing hole27, so that normal operation or the bulb 65 will be under the control ofthe door-operatedswitch '62.

With the s'witchslide '46 in the right-hand position indicated in dottedlines in Figure 2, the slide contactors 5S and 6% will be engaged withthe contacts 25 and 26, with the contactor 59 engaged in the positioninghole 23, so that the bulb 65 will be energized regardless of thecondition or" the door-operated switch 62.

What is claimed is:

l. in a manual control switch for a plurality of circuits, a dielectricbase having longitudinally spaced contacts on one side thereof includinga middle contact and outer contacts, a housing mounted on said basehaving a web extending along and spaced from said one side of the base,a dielectric slide positioned within said housing between said one sideof the base and said web and slidably movable on said base, said webhaving a longitudinal opening therein and said slide having a fingerpiece projecting through said opening, a conductive bridging memberlocated between said one side of the base and said slide and operativelyengaged with the slide so as to be movable longitudinally of the base bymanipulation of said finger piece, and contactors on said bridgingelement including a middle contactor and outer contactors, thecontactors being spaced from each other'with the middle contactor inengagement with the middle contact and the outer cont'actors disengagedfrom the outer contacts, said slide being movable from the position inwhich the middle contactor is engaged with the middle contact and theouter contactors disengaged from the outer contacts, to outer positionsin which the middle contactor is disengaged from all of the contacts andone outer contactor is engaged with an outer contact and the other outercontactor is engaged with the middle contact, spring means actingbetween said bridging element and said slide and urging said bridgingelement and the contactors thereon toward said contacts, said contactscomprising concave elements and said contactors comprising convexelements engageable into the concave elements.

2. Ina manual control switch for a plurality of circuits, a dielectricbase having longitudinally spaced contacts on one side thereof includinga middle contact and outer contacts, a housing mounted on said basehaving a web extending along and spaced from said one side of the base,a dielectric slide positioned within said housing between said one sideof said base and said web and slidably movable on said base, said webhaving a longitudinal opening therein and said slide having a fingerpiece projecting through said opening, a contactor and outer contactors,the contactors being spaced from each other with the middle contactor inengagement with the middle contact and the outer contactors disengagedfrom the outer contacts, said slide being movable from the positionrelative to each other as the said contacts, the slide being movable'endwise relative to the base from an intermediate position in which themiddle contactor is engaged with the --middle contact and the outercontactors disen gaged from the outer contacts, to outer positions inwhich the middle contactor is disengaged from all of the con tacts andone outer contactor is engaged with an outer contact and the other outercontactor is engaged with the middle contact, and positioning holes onsaid one side of the base in which at least one contactor engages whileat least one other contactor is engaged with a contact.

3. In a manual control switch for a plurality of circuits, tric havinglongitudinal spaced contacts on one si e thereof including outercontacts and a middle contact, a housing mounted on said base having aweb extending along and spaced from said one side of the base, adielectric slide positioned within said housing between web and said oneside of the base and slidabiy movable on said base, said web having alongitudinal opening and said slide having a finger piece projectingthrough said opening for movement along said opening, said slide havingone side in sliding engagement with the said one side of the base, saidone side or the slide having arecess therein, a conductive bridgingplate conlined in said recess for movement toward and away from said oneside of the base, spring means urging said bridging plate toward saidone side of the base, said bridging plate having longitudinally arrangedouter contactors and a middle contactor, said contactors beinglongitudinally spaced from each other and projecting from said bridgin;plate toward one side of the base, and indexing depressions in said oneside of the base, said indexing depressions being located between andlongitudinally spaced from the outer contacts and the middle contact andbeing engage-able by contactors so as to hold the slide in differentpost" ens relative to the base and housing.

4. in a manual control switch for a plurality of circuits, a dielectricbase having longitudinal spaced contacts on one side thereof includingouter contacts and a middle contact, a housing mounted on said basehaving a web extending along and spaced from said one side of the base,a dielectric siide positioned within said housing between said web andsaid one side of the base and slidably movable on said base, said webhaving a longitudinal opening and said slide having a finger pieceprojecting through said opening for movement along said opening, saidslide having one side in sliding engagement with the said one side ofthe base, said one side of the slide having a recess therein, aconductive bridging plate confined in said recess for movement towardand away from said one side of the base, spring means urging saidbridging plate toward said one side of the base, said bridging platehaving longitudinally arranged outer contactors and a middle contactor,said contactors being longitudinally spaced from each other andprojecting from said bridging plate toward one side of the base, andindexing depressions in said one side of the base, said indexingdepressions being located between and longitudinally spaced from theouter contacts and the middle contact and being engageable by contactorsso as to hold the slide in different positions relative to the base andhousing, said middle contact having a concavity into which said middlecontactor is engageable in an intermediate position of the slide whereincontactors are disengaged from depressions in the said one side of thebase.

References ited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

